In-fireplace room air conditioner

ABSTRACT

This air conditioner system is designed to air condition a room from within an existing fireplace instead of a window opening, and the hot air heated by the air conditioner&#39;s condenser will exit out of fireplace chimney to outside. The air conditioner machine also blocks fireplace opening and maintains separated interior room air circulation and air circulation to cool down air conditioner&#39;s condenser.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is related to and claims priority from U.S. ProvisionalPatent Application Ser. No. 60/647,283 filed on Jan. 27, 2005

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates, in general, to an air conditioner systemand, more particular, this invention relates to an air conditionersystem that mounts within the opening of a conventional Fireplace thathas a chimney instead of a window opening.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The instant invention relates generally to an air conditioner systemthat mounts within the opening of a fireplace instead of a windowopening.

Conventional window air conditioner either needs a special window formounting or has to occupy part of an existing window. When airconditioner mounts on an existing window, it blocks some view of windowand can be an eye sore. Special air conditioner window requires certaincost and some work on a house which may not be welcomed everywhere.

Fireplace opening, however, is not used and even requires some coveringduring hot summer season. This invention provides air condition functionand also covers fireplace opening.

There is one devices have been provided in the prior art that areadapted to support air conditioner within fireplace opening. U.S. Pat.No. 4,916,918 to Marelli Douglas A. While this unit maybe able to mountair conditioner within fireplace and put it to work, it draws cool airfrom interior room to cool down condenser of air conditioner. Which makethis design has lower efficiency.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

A primary object of the present invention is to provide an airconditioner system that is able to work within fireplace opening withhigh efficiency and does not require a window opening to mount nor willnot block window view.

Another object is to provide an air conditioner system that blocksfireplace opening and isolates interior cool room air from hot airoutside of room or heated air produced by air conditioner condenser. Hotair heated by the condenser section of the air conditioner will be sendup through chimney of fireplace to outside of building.

The present invention is especially designed for seasonal use of airconditioner vs. fireplace. Portable design allows easy installation andquickly removing air conditioner unit for storage and to reuse fireplacefunction at cold weather or winter time. No rework on fireplace orbuilding is required.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a view of a J-shape duct of the present invention for mountingon top edge of chimney and for intake fresh air from outside ofbuilding.

FIG. 2 shows a view of air conditioner machine of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a section view of the present invention works in a fireplace,particular showing two separated air circulation of interior room airand air inside of fireplace or chimney.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERED EMBODIMENT

Prior to proceeding to the more detailed description of the presentinvention, it should be noted that, for the sake of clarity andunderstanding, identical components which have identical functions havebeen identified with identical reference numerals throughout the severalviews illustrated in the drawing figures.

FIG. 1 shows a J-shape first air duct 11 that is rigid and can bemounted on the wall edge of chimney top. It has supporting bracket 12for secure mounting on chimney wall, an intake end 13 that takes freshair from outside of building or chimney, its J-shape body turns air flowdownward into chimney and another opening 14 for connecting to a secondair duct 15. The size of duct must be able to fit inside of a chimneyand does not completely block air flow inside of a chimney. A mesh isused at its air intake end 13 to prevent small animal or insects fromgetting into the air duct.

FIG. 2 shows the air conditioner machine 1 which has two boxes body. Itsfirst box 1 is small enough to fit through a fireplace opening 21, yetits second box, the fascia box, 2 is big enough to block fireplaceopening in order to isolate interior room and wood burning space 30 offireplace. On top of its first box 1, there is an air receiver opening 3that should be connected to air duct 15 in order to take fresh air flow.On the side of first box, there are hot air vents 8 to vent heated airinto inside of fireplace 30. On the room facing side of its second box2, there are warm air intake 4 and cold air vent 5 for interior room aircirculation. On the contact surface with fireplace wall of second box,there are rubber seals 6 to ensure tight air isolation between interiorroom and inside of fireplace.

FIG. 3 shows the air conditioner machine 1 mounted on the opening offireplace 21, the J-shape air duct 11 mounted on edge of chimney top 20.There is another air duct 15 conducts fresh air 31 from the J-shape duct11 to air conditioner machine 1. A height adjustable stand 17 is placedon inner floor of fireplace 30 to support air conditioner machine to belevel with fireplace opening sill. A set of wheels 7 is under airconditioner second box 2 for easy moving this air conditioner machine.

In FIG. 3, where also contain roofline 22, room ceiling 24, interiorwall 23, fireplace and chimney outer wall 20.

When air conditioner machine 1 is put to work within fireplace space 30,one side of it stands on height adjustable stand 17 so that the airconditioner machine 1 can be leveled with fireplace opening sill wherethe other side stands on. The inside surface of its oversize second box2 makes contact against fireplace opening wall 21 with rubber seals 6 inbetween to isolate interior room air with air inside fireplace orchimney. A cooling fan 9 inside of air conditioner machine 1 pulls freshair 31 from outside of building to enter J-shape first air duct from itsopening 13 and pass through itself 11 as well as the second air duct 15to reach to air conditioner machine 1. Inside of air conditioner machine1, fresh air 31 cools down the hot working air conditioner condenser,and brings exhaust heat with it into inner space of fireplace 30. Insidethe sealed fireplace space 30, heated air 32 has no place to go but getpushed upward and exits out of chimney to outside. Another fan inside ofair conditioner machine 1 circulates interior room air 33 and heatexchanges it into cold air 34, and then sends it back into interiorroom. The second air duct is hanged from first duct so a flexible andextendable air duct will make the installation much easier.

1. An air conditioner system, for operating air condition function forinterior room from within a fireplace, which comprises: (a) a rigidfirst air duct with supporting bracket for securing itself over the topedge of a chimney wall, and its J-shape body allows it to intake freshair from outside of chimney and guides it downward into chimney, and italso provides a hanging point for the second air duct; (b) a second airduct connects to and hangs from said first air duct for continue guidingfresh air flow downward inside of chimney, the other end of said secondair duct connects to an air conditioner machine to provide fresh airflow originated from outside of building for cooling down airconditioner condenser; (c) a air conditioner machine has a first partthat can fit through a fireplace opening and into its wood burningspace, and a oversize second part that fits over fireplace opening toseal against fireplace wall for isolating interior room air from airinside of fireplace, said second air duct connects to first part of airconditioner machine to provide a channel for fresh air, and air heatedby air conditioner machine is pushed out into inside space of fireplaceand eventually is pushed to outside through chimney.
 2. The aircondition system, according to claim 1, wherein the second air ductmaybe flexible and extendable.
 3. The air conditioner system, accordingto claim 1, wherein the first part of air conditioner machine stands ona height adjustable stand rose from inner floor of fireplace to keep itlevel with fireplace opening sill.
 4. The air condition system,according to claim 1, wherein the second part of air conditioner hasrubber seals to fit against fireplace room facing side wall.
 5. The aircondition system, according to claim 1, wherein the second part of airconditioner machine can be detached from the first part for easy packingand shipping.
 6. The air condition system, according to claim 1, whereinthe air conditioner machine may have a predetermined plurality of wheelsunderneath for easy moving.
 7. The air conditioner system, according toclaim 1, wherein the opening of first air duct has mesh or grill guardto stop small animal or insects from getting into.